Knife



Patented July 8, 1924.

UNITED. sm'rrs ELIAS ILEWIS, or TERRE'HAUTE, inmA'nA.

Application filed November '2, 1922. Serial No. 598,628.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS LEWIS, a citizen of the- United States,residing at Terre Haute, in the-county of Vigo, State of Indiana, haveinvented certainnew and useful Improvements in Knives, of whichthefollowing is a specification V This invention relates generally to.improvements in knives, more particularly to knives of that type ofconstruction in whlch the blade is detachable fromthe handle. and. itconsists in the combination, constructions and arrangements hereindescribed and claimed;

An object of myinvention is to provide a knife of the characterdescribed which is extremely simple in construction and which embodiesmeans for effectively holding detachable blades adapted for use invarious operations. v

A further object of the invention 1s to provide a knife of the characterdescribed which is designed primarily, although not necessarily, for usein marking, splitting, trimming and cutting operations, particularly forcomposition roofing,1 beaver board, leather, pasteboard, rubber, felt,and the like,

and as a pruning knife. I

still further object of the invention is to providea knife of thecharacter described which' can be manufactured at a relatively low costand which is thoroughly practical commercially. 1

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription considered in conjunction with thea'ccompany ing drawings,in which:

Figure 1 1s a persp'ective'view of'a knife. embodying the invention andcompris ng one form of handle and one form of blade there for I Figure 2is a longitudinal section through theknife shown in Figure 1, V

Figure 3 is a section along'the line 3"3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a view similar'to Figure;

showing a knife embodying the same inventionand comprising a'jhandle anda blade therefor slightly' different from like parts includedin theknife exhibited in the precedingyiews, and v Figuree is a perspectiveviewof the blade included in'the knife shown in Figure 4c.

a handle, which in the forni of the device il-' lust-rated in Figureslto 3 inclusive, includes to the longer arm or portion at one en Figure1, and thereby In earrying outmy invention I providea blade-holdingframe which consists of a pair of precisely identical side plates 11spaced apart .by relatively arranged. filler 'plates2and3, respectively,and by a clamp-V ing spring 4:. The filler plate 2. is angular :informiand comprises a. relatively longfarmor portion interposed betweenthe side plates the latter, being secured'to the side plates by rivets 5or the like so that the outer edge of the relatively long arm or portionof the filler plate 2 and'the'similar edges of the side plates 1-1 areflush with one another. The filler plate 2' also includes a shorter-armor portion 6 which extends at right an les of the latter and is disposedbetween the side plates 11 at the one end of the handleto extendtransversely of the latter into abut-' ting relation to the inner edgeof the spring member 4 which ispivotally or rigidly supportedintermediately-at 7 to extend between the longitudinal edge portions orside plates 1.-1 opposite the edge portions of. the latter whichflank'the filler plate 2'. The spring member 4 is arranged with one endthereof flnsh with the outer side edge of the shorter portion or arm 6of the filler late-2 and terminates at its other end in a jacentrelation grip or face plates, blocks or pieces 9+9, 7

each of which has the cross sectional contour of a segment ofa circleand is provided with aflat inner face substantially co-extensive in areawith one of the side plates 2 so that'the handle as a whole will havethe cross sectional contour of a circle when the face plates, blocks orpieces 19-9 are held against the outer faces of the side plates 1'11 bya cap 10 at one end of the handle andby'a ferrule or collar '11 attheopposite end of the handle, or by other suitable securing means.

The pivot or ends thereof extended through the "face plates, blocksor"pieces, as illustrated in ter to the side plates; 7 I I; With theorganization described, it will be obvious that a space is providedwithin PATENT OFF-ICE.

securing pin may have the id in securingthe lat a i Y Y 110 theblade-holding frame of the handle in which the shank or tang portion 12of a blade 13 may be inserted. The portion of the filler plate 2 at theopen end of the handle, which will be hereinafter referred to as thefront end thereof, is fashioned with the inner edge thereof inclinedinwardly from the adjacent end of the filler plate'to a notch 14 whichis provided in the inner edge of the filler plate at an appreciabledistance from the front end of the handle. The filler plate 3 isfashioned withthe inner wall thereof inclined outwardly from the frontend of the handle so that the distance transversely of the handlebetween the outer ends of the filler plates 3 and 2 is less than thedistance between the inner end of the filler plate 3 and an oppositepoint on the inner edge of the filler plate 2. The shank or tang 12 ofthe blade 13 tapers toward its end so that the filler plates 2 and 3will embrace the tang or shank at the juncture of the latter withthecutting portion of the blade and will also abut beveled shoulders 15-15which merge the tang or shank of the blade into the cutting portionthereof to prevent lateral bodily movement of the blade relatively tothe handle and to also prevent inward movement of the blade in respectto the handle. The tang or shank 12 of the blade has a lateralprojection 16 adjacent to its ends which is adapted to enter the-notch14: co-incidentally with the engagement of the filler plates 2 and 3with the beveled shoulders 15-15. The spring plate 4 has a lateralprojection 17 at its. forward end which extends into contact with theedge of the tang or shank opposite that provided with the projection 16and thus tends to hold the tang or shank 12 pressed against the fillerplate 2 and to thereby prevent the projection 16 from disengaging thenotch 14. It will be observed that the notch 14% is located rearwardlyof the projection 17 and the latter will, therefore, engage the tang orshank 12 at an appreciable distance from the extremity of the latter.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device theoperation thereof may be readily understood.

As stated, the end of the shorter portion 6 of the filler plate 2 is inabutting relation to the spring plate 4: and thus constitutes a stop forholding the spring 4 against such movement about the axis of its pivotor se' curing pin as would swing the rearward end of the spring plateinwardly. The spring plate 4; is of reduced width from the projection 17to a point adjacent to the pin 7, and the forward portion thereof maytherefore be'swung outwardly under stress to permit rocking of the platefrom the position indicated by the full lines in Figure 2 to the dottedlines in the same figure so that the pro jection 16 will disengage thenotch 1 1 and the blade may be detached from the handle. Because of theengagement of the spring plate t with the portion 6 of the filler plate2, the outwardly sprung portion of the spring plate will spring inwardlywhen the pressure thereon is removed and will thus be urged at all timesinto position to hold the shank of the blade in engagement with theblade-holding frame, as indicated by the full lines in Figure 2.Therefore, in order to replace the blade 13 in the handle, it is onlynecessary to insert the shank until the projection 16 is forced intoengagement with the notch 14L which will be attended by. an audibleclick.

The blade 13 is adapted for use in cutting prepared roofing, beaverboard, leather and for pruning operations, but it will be obvious thatother blades and tools may be applied to the handle, it only beingessential that each of such blades or tools have a tapered tang or shankportion and shoulders or stops at the outer end of the tang or shank portion, as shown.

In Figure 1 I show a form of handle different from that hereinbeforedescribed, in that the blade-holding frame is adapted, to receivebar-like blades or tools, such as indicated at 20, and as best seen inFigure 5. v

In the form of the handle shown in Figure 4, the side plates 11, onlyone of which is shown, are spaced apart by a filler plate 21, a springmember 22 and a filler plate 23. The filler plate 21 is angular andincludes a relatively long portion or arm extending longitudinally ofthe, handle and a shorter portion 24; extending transversely of thehandle at the rearward end of the latter into abutting relation to theinner'edge of the spring member 22 and constituting a stop for limitingthe inward movement of the rear portion of the latter, as shown in.

the form of handle hereinbefore described.

The filler plates 21 and 23 and the spring from the forward end of thespring member 22 presses against the straight rear edge of the blade 20and tends to hold the blade against the inner edge of the filler plate21 so that alateral projection29 at the rearward end of the blade 20will be disposed in one of a plurality of similar spaced-apart notches30 provided in the inner edge of the filler plate 21; Since the fillerplat-e23 is inclined outwardly towardits rearward end, the wider frontend thereof is in engagement with the rear edge of the blade when thelatter is positioned within the handle, as illustrated in Figure 4 andswinging movement of the projecting portion of the blade toward thespring plate 22 is thus prevented. The blade 20 will, therefore, be heldrigid with the handle for cutting operations, but the projecting portionthereof may be swung away from the filler plate 23 to disengage theprojection 29 from the notches 30 and to permit of the blade beingpartially or entirely withdrawn from the handle to vary the length ofthe projecting portion of the blade or to permit replacement of theblade. It will thus be obvious that the effective length of the blade 20may be varied as de sired and that the blade may be extended from thehandle to present new portions of the cutting edge thereof if theexposed portion becomes worn and the sharpness thereof is impaired.

The blade 20 is adapted for use in cutting rubber and like materials orfabrics, but it will be understood that blades adapted for otherpurposes and conforming in essential respects to the blade illustratedmay be employed as desired.

Obviously, my invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other thanthose in which illustrated in the accompanying drawings and I,therefore, consider as my own all modifications and adaptations thereofwhich fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A knife comprising a handle including a pair of side plates, fillerplates spacing the side plates apart and extending between longitudinaledge portions of the latter, one of said filler plates beingco-extensive in length with the side plates and having. a right angularportion extending transversely of the side plates at an end thereof, theother of said filler plates having a length less than that of the sideplates, and a spring member secured between the side plates in alignmentwith the shorter filler plate and being in abutting relation adjacent toone of its ends with the right angular portion of the first fillerplate, said spring member having an inwardly extending projection at itsother end, said first filler plate having a notch in its inner edge, anda blade having a shank 1 half the length of the other, and the secondfiller plate having a plurality of spacedapart notches in its inneredge, a spring member secured between said side plates in alignmentwithsaid shorter filler plates and being held against inward movement atits outer end, said spring member having a projection at its inner endextending toward said longer filler plate, and a blade insertiblebetween said filler plates and having a lateral projection at its innerend, said blade being adapted to be clamped between the projection onsaid spring member and the opposite filler plate to releasably hold theblade with the projection thereon in engagement with the notches in saidfiller plate selectively.

3. A knife comprising a handle including a pair of side plates, fillerplates spacing the side plates apart and extending between longitudinaledge portions of the latter, one of said filler plates having a rightangular ortion extending transversely of the side p ates at an endthereof, the other of said filler plates being relatively short, and aspring member secured between the side plates in alignment with therelatively short filler plates and in abutting relation adjacent to oneof its ends with the right angular portion of the first filler plate,said spring member having an inwardly extending projection at its otherend, said first filler plate having a notch in its inner edge, and aplate having a shank insertable between said filler plates intoengagement with the projection on the'spring member, said shank having aprojection adapted to be forced into the notch of the first filler plateby pressure of the spring projection on the shank.

ELIAS LEWIS.

